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Six tiny raised dots, ingeniously
arranged by a fifteen-year-old boy nearly two hundred
years ago, have brought literacy to thousands of people
with visual disabilities worldwide. Louis Braille, the
inventor of the braille code, was born on January 4,
1809, so January is celebrated as Braille Literacy
Month. The Braille Bug web site for children was launched
in January 2002 to commemorate the achievements of this
remarkable young inventor.
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The information, activities, and games
found on the Braille Bug web site are designed to teach children
in grades 3 through 6 about braille. As they explore the
site, children will be able to:
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- develop an appreciation for the efficiency and versatility of braille;
- learn why and how Louis Braille invented the literary braille code;
- understand the importance of braille for another famous blind person, Helen Keller;
- learn to recognize braille letters and numbers;
- describe different ways to read and write braille, including the use of technology;
- use suggested resources to learn more about braille, blindness, and related topics.
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About Braille Literacy
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Braille enables people who are blind
or visually impaired to develop literacy skills comparable to
those of sighted people who read print. Those who know
braille can perform tasks as varied as jotting down a phone
number, writing a shopping list, solving a long division
problem, reading a musical score, or composing a doctoral
thesis. Sighted elementary students initially are fascinated
by braille as a kind of "secret code." However, as they learn
more about braille and its many uses, they expand their
knowledge of people with disabilities and the accommodations
they use to lead full and successful lives.
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Accessibility
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Children who are blind or visually impaired can enjoy
the activities on the Braille Bug website right along with
their sighted classmates. However, they will need special
software and/or hardware on their computers.
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• Those with low vision have the option of changing the color
of the site to increase contrast and make the text easier to
see. They also may use screen magnification software to
enlarge the text and pictures on the screen.
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• Those who do not learn visually may access information and
participate in the games & activities by listening. To do
this, they need to have a screen reader installed on their
computer that will read everything that appears on the screen,
including text, menus, icons, and alt tags. All the games and activities
are designed to be completely accessible. However, the objectives for children
who participate by listening are somewhat different from those
for children who access the site visually. Although they will
not be learning to recognize simulated braille letters and numbers,
they will benefit from practice using their screen
readers as they select menu items, listen to information, and
play the games. Children with screen readers may access the games
that have simulated braille characters by listening to the alt tags
that give the dot numbers for each one. In this way, a player who is
blind can work on the same questions with a classmate or friend who is
sighted. This arrangement can promote the development of social
interaction skills for both children. Children who would like more
practice using their screen readers may also select the "Jumble
Puzzle" game that provides clues in regular print letters
and words, rather than in simulated braille.
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• Those who read braille may access the screen by using a
refreshable braille display or by downloading and printing
out a hard copy of the file on a braille embosser. Directions
for creating a hard copy of any part of this website are found
in another submenu item under "Parents
and Teachers" entitled
"How to Download Braille Files."
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The Home Page
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The Braille Bug, a ladybug with the six dots of the braille
cell on her back, welcomes children to the website on the
home page. There are four menu items for them to choose
from, in addition to the "Parents and Teachers" item:
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Change the
Colors of the Site: Children have the option to
change the color of the text and background based on their
personal preferences for comfortable viewing.
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What is Braille?
Five submenu items provide children with information about the
Braille Code, tools used to read and write braille, and the life
of Louis Braille. It is recommended that children read "Braille:
Deciphering the Code" before attempting any of the games or
activities under the next main menu item.
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- Braille:
Deciphering the Code—An introduction to Louis
Braille's systematic arrangement of dots in the braille cell
to form letters, punctuation marks, and numbers. In this
section children also learn about braille contractions and
short-form words. These are special symbols or spellings that
reduce the amount of space needed for writing words in braille.
- Trivia—Interesting
facts about braille
- Braille
Technology—A description of low- and high-tech tools
used to read and write braille.
- Printable
Braille Alphabet—A copy of the braille alphabet that
students can print out and use as a reference while playing the games,
writing their own simulated braille messages, or decoding braille words
and numbers they find in the environment.
- Louis
Braille—The story of Louis Braille's life told in a
lively style.
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Games and Secret Messages:
Children can explore a variety of interactive activities that
challenge them to decode simulated braille letters, words, and
numbers on the screen. All of the activities except the first
one include a copy of the braille alphabet and numbers for
reference.
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- See
Your Name in Braille!—Type in any name or other
word, and watch it appear on the screen in braille.
- Trivia
Mania—Decode braille words related to a
specific category, such as "Insects." After a practice round,
players earn points for correct answers.
- Riddles—Read a
riddle in print and decode the braille answer.
- Braille
Jumble—A more difficult version of Trivia Mania.
The braille letters for each word in a specific category are
scrambled. Players decode the letters, rearrange them, and type
their response. After a practice round, points are awarded for
each correct answer.
- Jumble Puzzle—Games
designed for use with a screen reader or refreshable braille
display.
- Countdown!—Decode
the braille numbers, figure out the
pattern (such as 2, 4, 6, 8), and type the next number in the
sequence. After a practice level, players earn points for
correct answers.
- Secret
Message—Send a coded message to a friend by clicking
on the letters of the braille alphabet or typing in the text.
When the message is sent via e-mail, the friend will receive
instructions on how to see it in braille and decode the words.
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Louis Braille:
The story of Louis Braille's life, told in a lively style.
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Helen Keller Kids Museum Online:
A fascinating timeline of Helen Keller's life and achievements. Includes photos, videos, letters, and more!
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We hope that the children who use this site will enjoy
learning about braille and begin to understand its
significance for people who are blind and visually
impaired. During the coming year, the Braille Bug
website will expand to include a Reading Club and Friends
area. We welcome your comments and suggestions, which may
be sent to braillebug@afb.net.
Would you like to help support the Braille Bug site? Learn more about AFB's
efforts to support literacy.
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